Everything we know about the Iphone 8

Apple has something major to celebrate its 10th year anniversary. There are already an abundance of rumors circulating and hinting of the impressive features and specs of the upcoming iPhone 8 set to be released this year. We have a month or so before the launch of the iPhone 8 and Apple has ambitious plans for the device. No one really knows what the iPhone 8 will look like, but we’ve seen a lot of leaked images as well as the specs of the much awaited device.

A couple of new iPhone specs that we might see on the iPhone 8 are Dual Lens camera, which is quite popular with this year’s phone release and has become quite the staple for new high end phones. Apple has finally decided to move away from the traditional aluminum body that was previously used in the iPhone 5, 5s, 6, 6s, 7 and the iPhone SE. The iPhone 8 has been rumored to have a Stainless steel and glass body similar to what was used for the iPhone 4, four or more colors including a mirror like and reflective design and a curved OLED display with True Tone Technology and or Ion-X glass.

Like the iPhone 7, iPhone 8 is expected to be water resistant, however it may have a much more improved IP68 water resistance rating. It will still continue to hold up to rain, splashes and brief submersion in water. Like the Galaxy S7 which is also IP68 certified, it is said that the iPhone 8 will also offer a full dust protection as well as withstand 1.5 meters of water submersion, but for only 30 minutes. However, even with this feature, customers are highly encouraged to make an effort not to get their phone wet. This is due to the iPhone 7’s warranty not covering water damage, and there are talks that the iPhone 8’s warranty will be the same and will exclude water damage.

In an interview, Apple supplier Wistron has accidentally leaked information regarding the iPhone’s water resistant feature. Wistron implied that at least one iPhone model will be waterproof and that it would support wireless charging. But, since Wistron is manufacturing the 5.5 inch iPhone 7s and not the iPhone 8, it is possible that the executive was talking about the iPhone 7Plus. However, a feature coming to the iPhone 7 plus is most likely to extend to the other two iPhone models that are set to be released this year. This water resistant feature has already been confirmed by an Apple supplier and will likely extend to all future iPhone models being released in 2017.

Rumors suggest that the iPhone 8 is expected to have a 10 nanometer A11 chip that will make the device faster and more efficient. All iPhone models coming in 2017 are expected to use Apple’s A11 chip. The production of Apple’s A11 chip has already been started way back May 2017. Originally, TSMC wanted to begin production in April however, due to the issues with the 10 nanometer FinFET manufacturing process, the production was delayed. The A11 chip is said to be much faster and more power efficient than the current A10 which is manufactured in a 16 nanometer process. It is also said that the A11 chip could most likely introduce a speedier performance and better battery life.

Previous iPhone 8 rumors suggested that Apple is developing a long range wireless charging technology that could be implemented as early as 2017. Wireless charging rumors have been unclear whether it would be integrated into the device by default or via an optional accessory. However, new information and speculations suggest that instead of the long range wireless charging technology, Apple will instead be implementing an inductive style wireless charging solution which is similar to the Apple watch. Wistron, an Apple supplier has already (albeit, accidentally) confirmed that wireless charging is planned for the next iPhone models.

According to KGI Securities analyst Ming Chi Kou, the next iPhone would also support USB-C powered faster plugged in charges, while still sporting the standard Lightning port to offer a fast charging feature. This feature would allow the iPhone to charge more quickly. Kou also believes that the iPhone 8 will still continue to ship with the same 5w power adapter equipped with a USB-A port that is a standard inclusion with the iPhones today. However, Barclays analyst Blayne Curtis disagrees with Kou’s statements and predicts that Apple will upgrade from 5w charger and instead will ship with a 10w USB-C Wall Charger.

The next iPhone 8 will be capable of wireless charging and even biometric capabilities such as facial recognition that would be used for added device security, most likely to replace Touch ID. According to Kou, Apple has been planning to eliminate Touch ID from the iPhone 8. Or, as rumors suggest, The iPhone 8 will have a virtual home button, but it will not support Touch ID, giving even more credence to the Face ID thing that they’re pushing. In a nutshell, Face ID is kind of like Touch ID, but with your face instead of your thumb or fingerprint. Apple’s 3D sensing facial recognition system is so advanced it can unlock an iPhone with ease within a few hundred milliseconds.

Kou has suggested that Apple will most likely be introducing an ‘improved’ security feature that will let their customers unlock their phones as well as Apple Pay payments wil facial recognition instead of a Touch ID fingerprint sensor. It is said to capture more data than a fingerprint scanner can, and it’s more secure than Touch ID. Also, Apple is using a 3D depth perception techniques, so it will prevent the facial recognition software from being fooled by a photograph of the device owner. It is even said to work even when the device is set on a table or a flat surface, so it’s functional even at odd angles and should not be a hassle to use even when making payments at a terminal.

Aside from being able to detect a face even when lying flat, the sensors in the iPhone 8 are also believed to have the capability to mute incoming notifications as long as the a user is looking at the phone screen, and the facial recognition software also keeps the phone unlocked as long as the face is within range.

So If Apple has figured out how to make Face ID work, would there still be any use for Touch ID? Maybe. Or maybe not. Back in June, in a Vivo Phone at a Mobile World Congress in Shanghai, Qualcomm has unveiled it’s under screen fingerprint sensing technology. So yes, in theory, it could still be done. Although some reports say that Apple has already figured out how to embed Touch ID into the display itself. Others have also suggested that the challenge of mass producing a virtual home button is the main reason why the iPhone 8 will not be released in September, contrary to previous rumors about the release date.

There are rumors that Apple might move the home button to the back part of the phone, as shown on twitter by Apple leaker Sonny Dickson, the Tweet features alleged leaked render images of the supposed iPhone 8. Rumor has it that there is a high chance that Apple will most likely locate the iPhone 8’s home button on its back. Or maybe that Apple would altogether ditch the home button as what Samsung did to the Galaxy S8.

Given the radical design changes that Apple plans to introduce on the OLED iPhone, rumors have been suggesting there will be serious supply constraints. Apple is said to be planning to position the OLED iPhone 8 as a 5 inch premium phone model that will be sold alongside its standard counterparts that are 4.7 and 5.5 inch phones that carry traditional LED screens. Although the iPhone 7s is rumored to stick to the traditional LCD technology, the next flagship phone is most likely to have OLED. A curved OLED Panel would be considered a big time upgrade to the iPhone and would be considered an equalizer in its rivalry with Samsung’s Galaxy 8.

The new display could also be one of the biggest factors that pushes back the release date of the device. The iPhone 8 is expected to be priced between $850 to $1,000 and as much as $1,200 in the United States, which is considerably more expensive than the previous iPhone models. The iPhone 8 and its companion devices are said to be available in a limited range of colors – Black, Gold, and Silver.

Size wise, the iPhone 8 will more likely to be similar in size to the 4.7 inch iPhone. Although with the OLED iPhone, it will be using a larger display because it includes no bezels, it’s reasonable to picture the iPhone 8 as an iPhone 7 with a screen that spans from edge to edge.